Blog Post

Practice Makes Perfect: Maritz and College Bound Partner to Coach Students

June 16, 2017

Students with St. Louis-based College Bound shared their inspiring stories of success at the annual College Bound Cap & Gown Gala. It was an evening of hope and celebration, and just the slightest of nerves, as young men and women prepared to take the stage and share their personal stories with more than 600 of College Bound’s biggest supporters.

As a long-time partner of College Bound, an organization helping underprivileged students achieve college degrees and fulfilling careers, Maritz had the distinct pleasure to help the students prepare for their big night at the Practice Makes Perfect Speaker Event.

After being coached for more than eight weeks, three selected students took the Maritz stage as our employees volunteered their time to listen and provide feedback during the Maritz-hosted event.

“This isn’t just any speech these students were practicing — it’s the story of their path to and through college, which is personal and often emotional,” said Doreen Carmichael, a MaritzCX representative who serves on the College Bound board of directors. “The opportunity to practice for the big moment in front of a friendly audience was both exciting and important, and we were thrilled to provide this opportunity to one of our valued community partners.”

Members of Maritz Toastmasters provided speech evaluations and valuable feedback to the students. And, following the event, our people had the opportunity to continue the conversation, getting to know the students better.

“We cannot thank Maritz enough for hosting this practice event,” said Scott Baier, executive director of College Bound. “These students remarked about how smart and clear the feedback was. We discussed how to tweak their stories and improve their presence and connection. Special thanks to Maritz Toastmasters for leveraging your skills for the benefit of our event.”

And as for their big moment at the Cap & Gown Gala?

“Our students nailed it,” said Scott. “I could not have been more proud of how they did, and their poise was a testament to breaking the ice three weeks before the event.”

“We are proud to partner with College Bound as they continue to change the lives of young men and women in our community,” said Debbie Schirmer, Maritz Community Affairs director. “We’re lucky to extend our partnership beyond financial support, whether through events like Practice Makes Perfect, or Career Exploration Day and ACT Prep Kit assembly. These initiatives provide our team an opportunity to give of their time and expertise, and is a shining example of what our community involvement program is all about.”

Want to check out the speeches of the three students who participated in the Practice Makes Perfect event at Maritz? See their speeches in the videos below:

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